As shown in FIG. 1, an existing fiber optic connector 1, such as an MPO connector, is connected to a fiber optic adaptor 2 of a terminal system (not shown). The fiber optic connector 1 includes a main body 11, a casing sleeve 12 sleeved on the main body 11, and two springs 13 (only one is visible in FIG. 1) each disposed between the main body 11 and the casing sleeve 12. The main body 11 has two spaced-apart lateral plates 111 respectively adjacent to the springs 13, two connection plates 112 each of which is connected between the lateral plates 111, two recesses 113 (only one is shown) each of which is formed in an outer surface of the lateral plates 111 and extends rearwardly from a front end of the same, a key 114 protruding from one of the connection plates 112, and two engagement grooves 115 (only one is shown) each of which is formed in the outer surface of one of the lateral plates 111 and disposed rearwardly of one of the recesses 113. The casing sleeve 12 is movable back and forth between an initial position, and a connection position. When the casing sleeve 12 is in the initial position, the springs 13 are not compressed by the casing sleeve 12 and the casing sleeve 12 covers the engagement grooves 115. When the casing sleeve 12 is in the connection position, the springs are compressed by the casing sleeve 12 and the casing sleeve 12 uncovers the engagement grooves 115.
The fiber optic adaptor 2 includes an inner surrounding surface 21, a connection hole 200 bounded by the inner surrounding surface 21, two engagement bumps 22 disposed respectively on two opposite sides of the inner surrounding surface 21 and facing each other, and a keyway 23 indented into the inner surrounding surface between the two opposite sides of the inner surrounding surface 21. When the main body 11 extends into the connection hole 200 of the fiber optic adaptor 2 to connect the fiber optic connector 1 to the fiber optic adaptor 2, the key 114 of the main body 11 extends into the keyway 23, and the engagement bumps 22 respectively slide in the recesses 113 of the main body 11 until they abut and push the casing sleeve 12 to the connection position. When the engagement bumps respectively engage the engagement grooves 115 of the main body 11, the existing fiber optic connector 1 is connected to the fiber optic adaptor 2.
To insert the fiber optic connector 1 into the connection hole 200, the protruding direction of the key 114 of the main body 11 must allow the key 114 to mate with the keyway 23; otherwise, the main body 11 will be unable to enter the connection hole 200. In FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown two different fiber optic adaptors 2 having the same specification, but with their keyways 23 located at different positions. In consideration of mateability with different fiber optic adaptors 2 and matchability with different arrangements of optical fibers the fiber optic connector 1 are provided with different types for respectively mating with the two fiber optic adaptors 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Manufacturing two types of the fiber optic connectors 1 needs to design different molds, thereby increasing costs. In addition, because the fiber optic connector 1 is limited to be mated to a particular type of the fiber optic adaptor 2, installation efficiencies and cabling of fiber optic network are adversely affected.
Further, the fiber optic network is generally arranged in a limited space. For installing a dense arrangement of fiber optic cables in the limited space, there is a need to miniaturize the existing fiber optic connector 1.